Lonad Shiva Temple, Maharashtra

Address

Lonad Shiva Temple, Pise dam road, near lonad Lake, Thane District, Bhiwindi, Maharashtra 421302

Diety

Shiva

Introduction

Lonad is located just north of Kalyan on the outskirts of Thane district, near a village called Janwal, Maharashtra. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is still used by the residents of Lonad, Most of the outer structure of the temple is destroyed. Only the inner sanctum is still intact. The temple is adorned with intricately carved pillars and panels above the doorway to the inner sanctum. There are two small doorways on the two sides of the temple leading to cells on either side. In the right cell, there is a broken Shiva Linga, while on the right, there, Above the door to the inner sanctum, there are intricately carved panels depicting Shiva in various positions. In the inner sanctum of the temple, there is a Shiva Linga and Nandi in the center and in one corner there is a small Ganesh idol.

Puranic Significance

The Shiva Temple in Lonad village. The temple is presumably built around the first century AD, when Thane and other northern Konkan was ruled by the Shilaharas. The Shilaharas were Shiva worshippers. The earliest known reference to this temple is in an inscription in Vasai, dated in Shaka 1083 (A. D. 1161). It records the jirnoddhara (repairs) of a temple of Shiva and the gift of a garden in Lona (modern Lonad) to an Upadhyaya which mentions the Shiva temple and a garden being gifted to a local chieftan or Upadhyaya in Lonad. This temple is declared as a state protected monument. Due to the medieval invasions in the Kalyan-Bhiwandi area, this temple was badly damaged and neglected.